Playing hooky

That's what we called it when I was a kid. Not being in school - no valid excuse. I'm not really playing hooky because I had scheduled today as a vacation day. But the original plan was to take the kids to the arts festival. Unfortunately it rained and I must say, I was not disappointed. The thought of fighting masses of kids (not my own) was less than appealing. Actually the kids I can handle, it is their parents that make me want to hurl myself off Old Main Tower.

So today was kind of like a "free day". I thoroughly enjoyed being with my children with no schedule, no pressure to go anywhere or do anything. I needed this break and I needed to be in a place in which I feel I belong.

My world is changing - I know everyone's is but this is MY blog. My aunt, my mom's youngest sister and best friend, died last month. My father fell and badly cut his arm. My dad's dog is dying. In addition to grieving (obviously) for my aunt, who was a HUGE factor in me making it through my 30s, I'm looking at my parents in a different light. It didn't affect me as much when my mom's brother died because I wasn't close to his family. It was horrific when my uncle - my aunt's husband - died from ALS but that was different. My aunt died of lung cancer and I didn't even get myself up to visit her before she died. I didn't get to say goodbye to her. She was someone who always loved me. Who would give me her opinion, who thought I and my kids were great, who always remembered birthdays, anniversarys, and any other holiday. If the shoe had been on the other foot, she would have found a way to visit me.